Day 11 – 20 March 2025
Baby Room (Mini Investigators)
Today I moved the toddler room for the baby room and got the opportunity to work with Miss Maddison. Our interaction with the babies began with a music and movement session where the scarves of all possible colours (rainbow scarves) were explored. They danced, twirled and their faces were covered by the scarves in their sense of touch and sight. While these activities supported their gross and fine motor skills, they simultaneously helped the kids move their bodies and use their hands in expressing their joy through sounds and movements. This also worked as it allowed communication, they began to name the colours like ‘green’ and ‘purple’ (Berk, 2013).
The babies played physical play in the outdoor yard with slides, balls, swings and trampoline. These activities helped them to get stronger, more balanced and coordinated. Moving through space, kick balls, jump, and their physical and cognitive development (Pica, 2015) was one of the things that they learned. I enjoyed watching them be so active with play, assisting to develop those gross motor skills in an enjoyable, lively way.
In the afternoon later, the babies went on the painting creation, trying primary colours with mixing them to make different colours. They tried red, blue and yellow and experienced cause and effect of mixing colours, learning they looked different. Beyond influencing fine motor skills, this activity also contributed to sensory exploration and provide an excite for creativity. When having the babies talk about their artwork, they played together, supporting their communication skills (Ginsburg, 2007).
Next time we will do follow up and see what might be done with painting on foil. A shiny surface will give the babies a new sensory experience and will keep the babies interested in colour mixing. Today was a great fun learning filled day that gave the babies to have many opportunities to learn important skills just by playing and exploring.
Day 12 – 21 March 2025
Baby Room (Mini Investigators)
The mini investigators had a busy and interesting day to day. First, there was a music and movement session where Amber, Grace, Mikaya, and Morena discovered rhythm, movement, and sensory ‘things.’ Children danced with colourful scarves shaking, twirling, and hiding behind the scarves to the beat of upbeat songs such as Gracie’s Corner’s “Veggie Dance” and “Baby Shark.” The familiar songs with simple repetitive lyrics also got these babies moving to the beat, helping them develop coordination, balance and sense of the beat (Berk, 2013). Adding sensory bottles filled with glitter or beads allowed them to foster their sensory awareness (Ginsburg, 2007).
The children then played kitchen role play. Mikaya, Grace and Morena pretended to stir a pot with a wooden spoon while the others washed dishes and set the table. The type of role play serves to teach children about daily routines and adult roles, enables creativity, and teaches cause and effect, for instance, how stirring a spoon mixes food (Pica, 2015). The children became aware of their social emotional development and fine motor skills, through these activities and mimicking the things they observe in their environment.
The children then played with animal puzzles and busy boards later. On the busy boards, Amber and Mikaya pass the turns unlocking and manipulating the switches, to develop their problem solving abilities and hand eye coordination (Ginsburg, 2007). While they were examining puzzle pieces and matching them, their cognitive skills were enhanced by the shape and colour recognition aspect. They were also engaged in these activities, which also created curiosity and enhanced their understanding that things fit together.
Furthermore, the mini-investigators went on progressing on the self-help skills of face washing and drying, washing hands, and putting away toys. These day to day activities help the children in developing responsible for their actions, learning how to be organized and carrying out activities on their own as they grow, and thus self-reliant, confidence is boosted (Berk, 2013, p. 100). For the end of the day, Liber did a painting on glad wrap which gave the child a new kind of touch feeling and also did more drawing.
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